The statements in this section provide background and may not constitute prior art.
Rich Client User Interfaces (RCUI) may be comprised of tethered and untethered widgets, gadgets, gizmos, dashboards, portals, GUI widgets, dashboard widgets, web widgets, rich interface applications, service-oriented applications, object-oriented applications, interactive portable desktops, dashboard interfaces, client-server applications, and roaming desktops. Essentially, all of these objects relate to embeddable, web-server-deployed, or downloadable Rich Internet Application (RIA) or Rich Client User Interface (RCUI) frameworks that operate inside an encapsulated window environment and that integrate multiple fonts, vector and bitmap graphic files, animations, online conferencing, audio and video, simple navigation, etc., into a single screen. RIA vendors may use auto-generation of code in some aspect of their systems where mini applications are “assembled” online using browser-based software models to build and deploy Rich Internet Applications on-the-fly to the web or to the user's desktop.
These objects may connect to web services to deliver business data, weather information, news updates, recipes, sports scores, traffic maps, streaming media, and even slide shows of online photo albums. They may also integrate with other programs to provide streamlined interaction with lifestyle logistics. For example, they may give a user an at-a-glance view of all online instant messaging contacts, the day view from a calendar, or an easy way to control a media player. They may also have any number of dedicated purposes such as calculators, games, sticky notes, etc.
One issue with existing products is that the objects are limited in terms of delivery channels, as well as two-way data/media/streaming media-centric content. Further, cross-domain access is restricted, as is application reusability and recomposition of flow and flexibility once deployed.
For example, a new mini-application may be created to update the embeddable object that preceded it and the user may be forced to keep coming back to the web assembly platform to make more. In the event the mini-application is downloaded, the immense potential for desktop clutter is invoked in addition to the mini-application update issue.
Another issue with existing products is that online, menu-based, membership-driven “widget or gadget factories” that depend largely on ad insertion to subsidize their company and that use members as ad carriers to feed off of online social community platforms have done so at their own peril by creating an unauthorized dependency on social community hosts who are, or may become, intolerant of such parasitical practices.